Hi, kids!

It’s time once again to turn a jaundiced eye toward the newsmakers of the day – the winners and losers – who, in my cynical opinion, either contributed to our quality of life, or detracted from it, in some significant way.

Let’s look at who tried to screw us – and who tried to save us – during the week that was:

Asshole           Volusia County District Schools CFO Todd Seis

Before the Thanksgiving break, we saw the first salvos in the latest battle between the two largest budgetary behemoths in east Central Florida – the County of Volusia and Volusia County District Schools – bloated public entities who command a combined total of nearly $2.6 Billion annually from taxpayers. 

According to a report by the United Nations, that’s more than the Gross Domestic Product of twenty-one countries around the globe… 

Embarrassingly, the dustup looked like Scrooge McDuck and Richie Rich trifling over the check at McDonalds, except the safety and security of seven Volusia County middle schools remains at stake.

As you may recall, last month, District Superintendent Carmen Balgobin dispatched her redundant deputy superintendent and an “Interim Chief Operating Officer” (with five-days on the job?) to appear before the Volusia County Council and request $342,905.11 to fund school resource deputies at Creekside Middle School, Deltona Middle School, Galaxy Middle School, Heritage Middle School, Holly Hill School, Silver Sands Middle School, and Southwestern Middle School.

Unfortunately, Balgobin’s hapless emissaries were horribly unprepared – equipped only with a slapdash slideshow and a misguided notion that the Volusia County Council would simply rubber stamp their ask under the terms of an agreement between the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office – which requires the district shoulder 55% of the total costs for school resource deputies with the Sheriff’s Office responsible for the remaining 45%.

Neither Superintendent Balgobin nor Chief Financial Officer Todd Seis bothered to attend… 

To their credit, the Volusia County Council did something they almost never do – stood on principle – and sent the district representatives away emptyhanded with an admonition to get their shit together (and facts in order) the next time they come grubbing for money.

Trust me.  With a modicum of management and frugality, either entity could have easily funded the entire request from spare change found under their expensive couch cushions in the executive suite, but I was impressed that our elected representatives on the council held firm.

The fact is the district either knew or should have known that the odd timing of the request – well after the 2023/24 budgets have been approved – and the common knowledge that the district has ample funds in reserve to cover contingencies would make it difficult to convince the Volusia County Council to acquiesce…

After that humiliating episode, what followed was a l’esprit de l’escalier attempt at saving face by Volusia County School CFO Todd Seis – who got his knickers in a twist and publicly lashed out like a recalcitrant child in a release on November 17 – claiming the district’s request was met with “…a surprising level of disrespect and disregard by the County Council.  Such unprofessional conduct not only undermines our collaborative efforts but is also an affront to the dedicated professionals working tirelessly for the safety of our children.” 

Bullshit.

In an excellent report by Jarleene Almenas writing in the Ormond Beach Observer, we learned that Mr. Seis also used his ill-tempered rant to cut into Volusia County Attorney Michael Dyer:

“His guidance seemed to be missing from this meeting, but news outlets reported Mr. Dyer stating, ‘the school district is financially responsible for paying for law enforcement officers at schools,'” Seis said. “Although this is a partially true statement, it left off some important information as addressed in Florida Statute 1006.12(2)(d) that states: ‘A district school board may enter into mutual aid agreements with one or more law enforcement agencies as provided in chapter 23. A school safety officer’s salary may be paid jointly by the district school board and the law enforcement agency, as mutually agreed to.’ I question why this entire language in the statute was not provided to all council members by their attorney? Especially, when the safety of our Volusia County children is at stake.”

According to the report, Seis huffed and puffed that the district will be asking for a legal opinion from the Florida Attorney General’s office to resolve the “conflict with the county.”

I suspect if Mr. Dyer merely drops a copy of the district’s half-assed PowerPoint on Attorney General Ashley Moody’s mahogany desk, this brouhaha will come to a quick end…   

More pointedly, CFO Seis saved his worst for Councilman Troy Kent – a veteran Volusia County school administrator – questioning his suggestion of an alternative funding source under the Florida Education Finance Program, claiming Kent’s idea “…undermines his experience but also misrepresents the legal constraints governing school finances.”

In response, Mr. Kent justly fired back in the Observer:

“The Volusia County School District Chief Financial Officer Todd Seis talks about how important school safety is to him, yet, he nor Superintendent Balgobin were in attendance at the Nov. 7th County Council meeting,” Kent said. “What was more important than the safety of our children? Mr. Seis was attending a conference, one that he attends twice a year.”

Wow. 

Frankly, the ones left with egg on their face are the elected members of the Volusia County School Board who, once again, look like the ineffectual lumps they are – all thanks to their insouciant Superintendent, her tetchy Chief Financial Officer, and a top-heavy coterie of lackadaisical senior executives who, through their sheer apathy, were unable to demonstrate a compelling need for additional school resource deputies in underserved schools (?).

And all the bluff and bluster Mr. Seis can conjure won’t change that fact…

Sad.

Public-school students, teachers, and staff deserve better.

So do Volusia County taxpayers…

Asshole           Volusia Coastal Division Director Jessica Fentress

And many men wound in and out,

And dodged, and turned, and bent about,

And uttered words of righteous wrath,

Because ‘twas such a crooked path;

But still they followed-do not laugh-

The first migrations of that calf,

And through this winding wood-way stalked

Because he wobbled when he walked.

–The Calf-Path, Sam Walter Foss, 1895

Here on Florida’s “Fun Coast,” those dullards we elect and appoint to represent our interests have a long history of following the same crooked path year-after-year – a strict adherence to the “that’s the way we’ve always done it” school of mismanagement – a proven strategy, supported by Volusia’s Old Guard, that ensures lock-step conformity to the status quo. 

You see, when the people you serve stop expecting anything of substance – and the elected “leadership” embraces averageness and mediocre performance – underachievement and reduced expectations become engrained in the culture of the organization, and most of the time, none of it matters.

Bureaucrats squander precious time and public funds, and no one notices.  But in an emergency, when the immutable forces of nature threaten, we need strong and decisive leadership. 

Sound familiar?

Last week, we learned that the state of Florida has authorized $82.7 million to strengthen Volusia County beaches in the wake of Ian and Nicole, tropical systems which lashed our coastline over a year ago taking an estimated six million cubic yards of sand out to sea.   

According to a recent report in The Daytona Beach News-Journal the funds, administered by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, “…came at the direction of Gov. Ron DeSantis after he visited Volusia County’s damaged coastline following the storms.”

So, after state and county officials drug their heels for thirteen months – with homes hanging on the precipice and other structures threatened by each nor’easter – Volusia County will, once again, put the cart before the horse and dump a collective 1.25 million cubic yards of sand north and south of Ponce Inlet – all without a comprehensive restoration plan in place.    

According to reports, the sand pumping project will take place over “the next couple of years” – while a “…50-year, long-term resiliency plan” drags through the bureaucratic quagmire – no doubt while what remains of the $83 million is frittered away by the Coastal Division.    

Unfortunately, that’s the level of precision and strategic thought we’ve come to expect from Volusia County government in a crisis.

In her own awkward way, Director Fentress further alienated weary stakeholders by reversing blame and issuing a public ultimatum in the News-Journal:

“What the coastline looks like will depend largely on how many beachfront property owners give the county access through a temporary easement, county Coastal Division Director Jessica Fentress said.

“If somebody doesn’t provide me an easement, they’re not getting sand,” she said.”

Bullshit.

Look, Ms. Fentress’ lack of tact (or professional competence) aside, you don’t need a Ph.D. in Coastal Engineering to deduce that beach replenishment is not a long-term solution. 

Eventually, the imported sand will be eroded by future storms – which is why the process must be undertaken in concert with a comprehensive strategy to protect, preserve, restore, and enhance the natural dune system – rather than see how many high-rise buildings we can shoehorn east of the Coastal Construction Control Line…   

Unless renourishment is completed uniformly – a contiguous approach that avoids directing the erosive force of water onto unprotected areas – vulnerable sections can be undermined and more sand moved offshore, creating additional consequences for beachfront property owners.

Why is it that here on what remains of the “Fun Coast,” we continue to allow the same clumsy dullards to do the same thing over-and-over – watching helplessly while these incompetent assholes fumble and stumble through millions in public funds without a plan or an inkling of what comes next?   

The very definition of insanity…

In the view of many, our bungling Volusia County Coastal Division Director Jessica Fentress is a big part of this multifaceted problem – and it is well past time for our equally ineffective County Manager George “The Wreck” Recktenwald to pull his head out of his ass, change tack, and bring in experienced leadership to untangle the godawful mess that is our current approach to beach management.

With beachfront property owners facing further loss, exponential increases in property insurance rates, and potential disaster looming – it is time for the Volusia County Council to demand that Recktenwald develop a comprehensive roadmap for coastal management, replenishment, and beach maintenance while there is still something left to worry about…

Angel               Besieged Residents of Tomoka Oaks, Escondido, The Trails, etc., etc.

The term “Nuclear Option” describes the most drastic or extreme response possible in a particular situation – and the irreparable scorched-earth damage that results once the button is pushed…   

It appears venerated local attorney Dennis Bayer, who represents the Tomoka Oaks Homeowners Association in their brutal fight against aggressive developers, knew the endgame when he used that foreboding term to describe what he knew would happen.     

That most severe possibility became reality last week when developers of the proposed “Tomoka Reserve” announced they would be withdrawing the Planned Unit Development Oder and “activating our R-2 application filed on May 4, 2023.”

The R-2 “Single-Family Low Density” zoning would allow 317-homes to be shoehorned onto the former Tomoka Oaks golf course with substantially reduced buffers. 

In addition, the Ormond Beach Observer reported that under the R-2 designation, the developers would no longer pursue a stop light at the busy intersection of Tomoka Oaks Boulevard and Nova Road or an improved diamond intersection at St. Andrews Drive… 

According to a statement issued by the developers – d/b/a Triumph Oaks of Ormond Beach LLC – the reversal came in response to the Ormond Beach City Commission’s decision to send the development order back to the planning board in an attempt to reduce density in the long-established neighborhood:

“In light of the City Commission’s comments and directives at the November 7, 2023 public hearing on the request for the proposed “Tomoka Reserve” PRD Development Order, the Property Owners have concluded that the Commission’s decision to remand their application back to the Planning Board – despite their stated objections – for the purpose of negotiating a “significant reduction” in the number of residential lots would be an exercise in futility.”

To their credit, homeowners in Tomoka Oaks and surrounding areas have vowed to continue the fight to protect the unique character of their beautiful neighborhood.  Speaking in the Ormond Beach Observer, Jim Rose, chair of the HOA’s golf course committee, made it clear the developer’s “nuclear option” didn’t come as a surprise:

“We’ve been preparing for it,” Rose said. “We think we have a case against them not being able to proceed with the R-2 zoning as they seem to think is inevitable. and we’re looking forward to going before the Planning Board and the City Commission.”

“They’re building these modern homes and we’ve got 50-year-old homes in [Tomoka Oaks],” Rose said. “It seems to me that going back to the Planning [Board] would be better, but the density is just too much.”

In my uneducated view, when one considers the adverse impacts, not only Tomoka Oaks residents, but those in surrounding neighborhoods – including anyone who traverses already congested Nova Road – this is a case where that which is legally permissible does not concur with what is ethically responsible. 

It is equally evident that the state legislature’s continued erosion of local control over reasonable growth and development – repeatedly shitting on the basic concepts of Home Rule in favor of forcing fealty to laws from on high which grant influential insiders in the real estate development community carte blanche – is morally reprehensible in an era where greed-fueled sprawl is blanketing east Central Florida and beyond.

Unfortunately, it is also clear to anyone paying attention that concepts like ethics, morality, and a community’s right to determine its economic, social, and cultural development no longer apply in Florida – the Biggest Whorehouse in the World…

Angel               Flagler County Schools Spokesperson Jason Wheeler

During my career in public service, I had the opportunity to work closely with many reporters in print and electronic media – some on their way to becoming household names on network television and in large metropolitan markets around the nation – and others who stayed with us, bringing the news into our homes, gifting their talents to a place that desperately needs them.

The irrepressible Jason Wheeler was one of the best, even after he made the transition to a public information role with Flagler County Schools.   

Admittedly, I give those cagey “government mouthpieces” their fair share of guff in this space – most of it well-deserved – but Jason remains one of the good ones.

Last week, we learned from an informative article in FlaglerLive! that Mr. Wheeler is preparing to depart his role as Communications Coordinator at Flagler County Schools after accepting a similar position in the Florida panhandle. 

I first met Jason during his time with Central Florida News 13, an exceptional on-air talent who singlehandedly covered a wide territory to become a trusted source of community information.

He quickly built a reputation for professionalism. 

In 2015, Jason made the jump to public information management overseeing messaging, marketing, web content, and strategic communications for Flagler County Schools. 

In my view, Jason Wheeler shines brightest during times of crisis (and FCS has its share…) providing critical information to residents and stakeholders – while never taking himself too seriously – in his quirky socks, colorful slacks, and “unusual” bowties…

In addition to his outstanding public service in Flagler County, Jason is a United States Army veteran, rabid University of Alabama football fan, and devoted husband and father who dedicates his time to leadership roles with Boy Scouts of America. 

According to FlaglerLive!:

“Asked if the school board’s chronically abrasive, unpredictable and at times embarrassing antics are playing a role in his decision, Wheeler insisted that he does not answer to the board but to the superintendent–that’s the case with all administrative position–and that he would have been just as happy to stay.

“I wasn’t looking to get out. I would have no problem working this job until I retired,” Wheeler said. “This is one of those jobs. Is it stressful? Yeah, but every job is stressful. This is a great job in a great school district.” He was especially buoyed by the appointment of LaShakia Moore as superintendent. “I love LaShakia Moore. She’s going to be a phenomenal superintendent,” he said (past the point where he needs her recommendation letter, so obviously he was being sincere). “She’s my fourth superintendent. She gets it. She has a vision. There’s not a doubt she’ll find someone who’ll help her spread that vision.”

In my view, Jason Wheeler set the standard of trust and transparency in a difficult business not known for those attributes and he leaves Flager County with all best wishes for a wonderful career ahead.      

So long, Jason.  We’re glad you passed our way…

Quote of the Week

“This area cannot handle anymore development as all the land displacement is causing more flooding, including areas that typically did not flood, as well as extending the period of time needed for water to recede. Grounds are saturated (even from light rains)! I have traveled the Ormond Loop daily some 45/50 years ago (from Ormond-by-the-Sea to U.S. 1) and have never seen the more frequent and extensive prolonged flooding as seen now with grounds along the roadside constantly full of water.”

— Celia List, Ormond Beach, as excerpted from the Letter to the Editor, “Volusia County should rezone 874 Hull Road,” Ormond Beach Observer, Monday, November 20, 2023

Preach it, Ms. List! 

Recently, a consultant hired by the Lost City of Deltona announced that taxpayers will need to cough up an estimated $58.6 million in coming years just to maintain public parks as growth increases demand for leisure services and amenities in the community.

Last month, a Jacksonville-based analyst reported that Palm Coast residents could see an 18% increase in water and sewer rates over the next three years to alleviate the effect of malignant sprawl on the city’s already inadequate utilities…

Perhaps more disturbing, last year, the Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach Metropolitan Statistical Area (which includes Palm Coast) was named worst in the nation for pedestrian safety – something Volusia County Council Chair Jeff Brower recently attributed to a growing population (including more bicyclists) and “…streets that aren’t accommodating.”

He’s right. 

Unfortunately, the civic, social, and financial impacts of rampant development go far deeper than public infrastructure, overcrowding, and stressed essential services. 

Over the holiday break, I had the opportunity to drive the Ormond Beach “Scenic Loop” – a fixture in my life since I was a young boy growing up here. 

Like many, I was stunned by the devastating effects of development west of Old Kings Road on stormwater drainage and tidal flooding in the area – dramatic changes in both topography and natural processes which has resulted in a constant stream of water flowing over the roadway just south of Halifax Plantation.    

Like Ms. List, I have watched as greed-crazed developers are permitted to rape the land on flimsy promises of “progress” as out-of-state corporate interests pugnaciously defend their “property rights” – while trampling yours and mine – as their bought-and-paid-for puppets in state, county, and local governments gift them free reign to pave over every square inch of our sensitive environment. 

Now, We, The Little People – those who pay the bills and suffer the insults without a chip in the game – are left to deal with the fallout of this insanity as the environmental destruction caused by incompatible density, scale, form, and intensity becomes harder for our strategically detached ‘powers that be’ to ignore…or deny.

And Another Thing!

Recently, a Barker’s View reader suggested I consider Volusia County School Superintendent Carmen Balgobin for “Angel” status after she penned a note on behalf of the school board opposing the anticipated Belvedere Terminals bulk fuel farm in Ormond Beach. 

I’m not gonna lie – the very thought of it made me upchuck in my mouth a little… 

In correspondence to county officials dated September 15, Balgobin wrote, “The district is concerned about the potential impact on the students and staff of the district in case of any potential catastrophic event or accident in the highly populated area of the proposed site, yada, yada, yada…”

Look, I appreciate the fact the school board has finally gotten in the game. 

However, as I recall, Volusia County District Schools only became involved in the Belvedere fight at the urging of District 4 board member Carl Persis – who was clearly running interference for his beleaguered wife, Ormond Beach City Commissioner Susan Persis – when he mewled “It isn’t our responsibility, but I think because of where it’s located, we have so many children around there that to me, it seems like the right thing to do — the right course of action.” 

Rightfully, Mr. Persis pointed to the fact the district has a joint use agreement with the City of Ormond Beach for the municipal sports complex – which would literally sit in the shadow of the 13-million-gallon fuel storage facility – as another nexus for the school board’s involvement.   

In my view, the only heroes here are those valiant citizens who formed a grassroots coalition and suffered the ire of nervous politicians who questioned their motivations, and the indifference of entrenched bureaucrats, yet found the courage to push the fight against the fuel farm further into the harsh light of day.    

For the uninitiated, both Volusia County and Ormond Beach officials have been aware of this potential disaster since June 2022 – over a year before the rest of us learned about it in The Daytona Beach News-Journal…

The shocking revelation shined a very bright light on the rampant ineptitude in the senior executive ranks at the Thomas C. Kelly Administration Building in DeLand – including how the County Attorney failed to notice official publication of Belvedere Terminal’s application to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection for an air construction permit on July 1 – a glaring omission that led to delays in challenging the permit and left Volusia County without legal standing. 

Now comes the bickering and bitchery between Volusia County and Ormond Beach as each try desperately to dodge responsibility…

Last week – in their latest ham-handed tactic – the Volusia County Council voted to consider a nine-month moratorium on development applications for properties zoned heavy-industrial throughout unincorporated Volusia County.  

According to a county mouthpiece quoted in a recent article by Seldon Gardner writing in the News-Journal, the pause will allow the same clueless county officials who got us into this mess “…to review and potentially recommend revisions to these regulations to modernize the zoning category and reflect the current state of local communities.”

My ass.

After the vote, County Chair Jeff Brower explained, “I believe you’re getting exactly what you asked for with this… If somebody comes in tomorrow, it’s a no-go anywhere in (a heavy industrial zoning district) location in unincorporated Volusia County, which is all that we can control.”

At least for the next nine-months…

Unfortunately, many tough questions (and legal hurdles) remain for Chairman Brower and his colleagues – who still adamantly refuse to hold County Manager George “The Wreck” Recktenwald and those senior officials who knew about this potential catastrophe in the making and kept it from the elected policymakers and the public – accountable for their gross inaction. 

The fact is, many believe that if Belvedere Terminals and/or the property owner, Florida East Coast Railroad (both subsidiaries of Grupo Mexico) decide to push the issue – Volusia County is going to have an incredibly expensive uphill battle on their hands. 

Perhaps that is why Volusia County continues to pursue an allocation of $4.5 million from the state, ostensibly to bribe Belvedere by underwriting infrastructure and improvements for a more “suitable” alternate site. 

Yeah.  I know…

As Volusia County continues to grope in the dark – throwing “solutions” against the wall and hoping-against-hope something sticks – my hope is that voters will remember this in future elections.

In my view, Volusia County taxpayers should pay close attention on Tuesday as both County Manager Recktenwald and County Attorney Michael Dyer stand for what passes as their annual performance evaluation (essentially a rubber stamped pay increase) by our elected representatives. 

Trust me, how that carefully choreographed vignette plays out will tell you just how complicit our elected representatives truly are as the tail continues to wag the dog in Volusia County government…  

Because what we are experiencing is the grim outcome when there is a complete lack of accountability for ensconced senior managers – highly compensated bureaucrats who command hundreds-of-thousands in salary and benefits annually – yet continue to embrace the safety of the status quo – and perpetuate a culture of mediocrity. 

That’s all for me.  Have a great weekend at the 64^th Annual Holly Hill Christmas Parade! 

The parade rolls Saturday morning at 10:00am along the traditional Ridgewood Avenue route – beginning just south of Flomich Avenue at 15^th Street and proceeding south to 10^th Street. 

Admittedly, I’m biased, but the City of Holly Hill has the best Christmas parade in Volusia County, and tonight’s annual tree lighting ceremony (from 6:00pm to 7:00pm at Holly Hill City Hall, 1105 Ridgewood Avenue) traditionally heralds the beginning of the Christmas Season with the arrival of Santa Claus!

It’s a true slice of Americana that should not be missed! 

On Sunday, December 3, Sons of the Beach – Florida’s premiere beach driving and access advocacy – will host the “Save Our Beach Fall Rally” from 1:00pm to 4:00pm at the Oasis Tiki Bart at Fountain Beach Resort, 313 South Atlantic Avenue, Daytona Beach. 

The rally will feature live music, a great food and beverage menu, 50-50 raffle, and SOB swag will be on sale (great stocking stuffers!)   

All proceeds go to help offset attorney fees for Son’s of the Beach continuing legal challenges to the proposed Silver Beach Condominium project.

Come hangout with civic-minded neighbors, get up-to-speed on critical issues facing our threatened coastline, and enjoy a great afternoon on the World’s Most Famous Beach!    

So long, Avelo.  We hardly knew ye…

As everyone who reads these screeds know – I love crowing, “I told you so!” 

Call me a self-righteous asshole (because I am), but it does my beat-up old heart good whenever history repeats itself here on the “Fun Coast” (because, as Mark Twain said, this historic recurrence is the curse of those unfortunate rubes who are unable or unwilling to learn from it…) 

In my defense, I don’t understand the varied mysteries of the universe – or philosophical concepts like “eternal return” that says the same events will continue as time repeats in a continuous loop – or notions of recurrent oscillations between “order” and “disorder,” patterns of imperial ascendance-and-decline, or theories describing cosmological similarities, where multiple events bear striking parallels. 

But I have the innate ability to recognize good old-fashioned stupidity when I see it…

As you may recall, back in April, Volusia County’s Director of Aviation and Economic Resources Cyrus Callum, switched hats – morphing into a highly effective shill for Avelo airlines – then a two-year-old carrier that, we were told, originally demanded $3 million in a “minimum revenue guarantee” on a promise of twice-weekly flights to two “premium destinations.” 

It was all very ‘hush-hush,’ as these schemes often are… 

As the sales pitch before the Volusia County Council droned on, Director Callum held our clueless elected dullards in suspense, much like a cagey gameshow host, dropping perplexing hints about possible destinations like, “Somewhere in the Tri-State…” and “The Mid-Atlantic area…”

If our elected decisionmakers had the capacity for shame and self-awareness – that spectacle of them playing twenty-questions with a senior staffer before being asked to appropriate public funds for a secret private entity would have been mortifyingly embarrassing…

At the time, Mr. Callum set the hook by explaining that, after “negotiations,” he and the DAB team were able to reduce the impact of Volusia County’s assurance to $1 million in guaranteed revenue – a fund described as a weird insurance policy to be held in reserve and used as a bailout if/when the carrier fails to meet quarterly estimates.

In keeping with the typical cloak-and-dagger horseshit that allows corporations with their hand in our pocket to keep their identity legally secret until giddy politicians can be convinced to vote in the blind – Mr. Callum did an extraordinary job of anesthetizing the council – glossing over our abysmal history of underwriting airlines who invariably leave us in their jetwash after gorging greedily at the public teat.

For instance, does anyone remember our experience with JetBlue, Silver Airways, Sunwing, etc.?

Whatever.

Earlier this week in an informative report by business editor Clayton Park writing in The Daytona Beach News-Journal, we learned that Avelo is ending service to Melbourne, one of its nonstop routes to Sarasota, and “…will also temporarily suspend its twice-weekly nonstop Daytona Beach-Wilmington, Delaware flights for two months in early 2024.”

According to the report, “Courtney Goff, a spokeswoman for Avelo, on Friday confirmed plans to temporarily suspend service on its Daytona Beach-Wilmington route, but said the twice-a-week nonstop flights on its Daytona Beach-New Haven, Connecticut route “is not affected and will proceed as usual. It actually has a few extra dates added.”

Joanne Magley, director of marketing and customer experience for Daytona Beach International Airport, said Avelo will continue offering two incoming and two outgoing flights a week on its Daytona Beach-Wilmington route through Jan. 5.”

Look, Ms. Magley may be paid handsomely in public funds to blow optimistic smoke up our backsides – but in my experience (and yours) – when a start-up airline begins suspending service, cutting routes, and whining about “seasonal demand,” the grim handwriting is on the wall…

Remember that $1 million “insurance policy” that you and I ponied up?

Guess what…

Last week, Director Callum sheepishly conceded to the News-Journal that Avelo has already dipped into the tax funded “guaranteed revenue” so generously offered by the Volusia County Council in April. 

“They did tap into that minimum revenue guarantee fund, but we don’t know how much. We do know that we still have a good chunk of that fund,” said Cyrus Callum, Volusia County’s director of aviation and economic resources, which includes Daytona airport.

Callum who had Friday off for the Thanksgiving holiday weekend said he did not know the exact amount that Avelo tapped from the revenue guarantee fund.

If Avelo exits Daytona Beach before the two years are up, they don’t owe the incentive money back, Callum acknowledged. “It’s just the cost of doing business,” he said.”

They don’t know how much? Really?

My ass. 

Where I come from, they call that ‘pissing good money after bad.’

Unfortunately, that happens with shocking regularity when government insinuates itself into the marketplace – picking winners and losers, voting in the blind, ensuring ludicrous minimum revenue guarantees, building private infrastructure, gifting tax breaks, and lavishing public funds on private entities – absurd policies that are counter to the time-monored principles of fairness and due diligence – mitigating risk by entering “partnerships” with eyes open, terms negotiated, and all players identified, rather than gagged and blindfolded in the ultimate act of fiduciary irresponsibility.  

When we question this pernicious practice, Volusia County’s economic development shills – like that shim-sham known as “Team Volusia” – who, while snout-deep in the public trough, assure us this secrecy grift is now required in the murky world of corporate welfare and “public/private partnerships” – where our tax dollars are used to underwrite the for-profit motives of private entities.

Bullshit.  

Perhaps when the next too-good-to-be-true “opportunity” comes calling, we should ask our elected officials if they are willing to invest their family’s personal savings in a mysterious business entity that refuses to identify itself?

Look, I am sick and tired of being blatantly lied to by these half-bright flimflam artists who burn through our hard-earned tax dollars under the dubious guise of “economic development” – then, when it falls flat, shrug the shoulders of their expensive suit with a “just the cost of doing business” dodge – while continuing to embrace risky corporate welfare strategies that allow entrenched insiders to skew the natural balance of a competitive marketplace.

In my view, it is wrong.  It is dishonest.  And it needs to stop.

Hi, kids!

It’s time once again to turn a jaundiced eye toward the newsmakers of the day – the winners and losers – who, in my cynical opinion, either contributed to our quality of life, or detracted from it, in some significant way.

Let’s look at who tried to screw us – and who tried to save us – during the week that was:

Asshole           County of Volusia

You may have read this earlier in the week. 

Read it again…

The Daytona Beach News-Journal got one wrong last week. 

A headline announcing an informative article by Sheldon Gardner erroneously read, “Volusia Council to seek $4.5M from state in Ormond Beach fuel facility fight.”   

Trust me.  The Volusia County Council had nothing to do with this…

Last week, in an off-the-agenda ambush, our elected representatives learned the news at the same time their blindsided constituents did when Deputy County Manager Susan Konchon “threw a curveball” and announced that Volusia County would be working with state Rep. Tom Leek and the county’s lobbying firm to seek a $4.5 million appropriation, apparently to bribe Belvedere Terminals by incentivizing an “alternative site” for the proposed 13-million-gallon fuel terminal in Ormond Beach.

Speaking from the dais during a discussion of Volusia County’s 2024 legislative priorities, Konchon dropped the bombshell, “It is necessary to help prepare an alternative site with, say, utilities or road infrastructure to relocate the facility to a more appropriate place than its current site.”

Wait. 

Why would those faceless bureaucrats who work in virtual anonymity in the bowels of the Thomas C. Kelly Administration Building seek millions in public funds to provide utilities and infrastructure for Belvedere Terminals – a private company whose CEO, we learned this week in a disturbing piece by Cheryl Smith in Treasure Coast Newspapers,“…has had criminal and financial issues, including two bankruptcies and a conviction for bribing a public official, according to court records.”?

I mean, why aren’t county bureaucrats seeking $4.5 million in state funds to improve Volusia County’s wholly inadequate public utilities and transportation infrastructure as malignant development continues its inexorable spread? 

And why were our elected representatives (once again) left out of the loop?

Before it was decided by an off-the-agenda wave of a bureaucratic wand that Volusia County would obtain public funds as a potential incentive for a foreign owned railway and bulk fuel supplier (both Belvedere Terminals and the Florida East Coast Railway are subsidiaries of mining and infrastructure giant Grupo Mexico) from relocating to Hull Road in Ormond Beach – that decision should have been openly discussed, with time for public input, and voted on by those we elect to maintain the checks and balances over county government.

You know, the same elected representatives whose ignorance and inaction got us into this mess in the first place…

In my view, city, county, and state government should use all legal and legislative means necessary to stop this potential disaster from being built adjacent to thousands of homes, a sports complex, and the municipal airport. 

But recently approved ploys – such as the use of public funds to lease or purchase the property – or spending $4.5 million in taxpayer money for a corporate welfare scheme to underwrite the fuel facility somewhere else is a slippery slope.

For instance, since 2017, Grupo Mexico has more than doubled its metal melting capacity in Peru after environmental regulations were loosened – about the same time the company announced an expansion of its profitable oil-by-rail business, building at least three terminals in Mexico.

To take things to the extreme, anyone want a commercial copper smelter here in our backyard unless Volusia County ponies up a lucrative sweetheart deal for the next developer?     

A slippery slope indeed…

In my view, Volusia County bureaucrats are taking us down an extremely dangerous rabbit hole – and this latest intrigue deserves a second look from state representatives and regulatory agencies. 

Angel               Fifth District Court of Appeal

I unapologetically refer to Florida as the biggest whorehouse in the world. 

Because it is.

From the politization of government functions and appropriations, the abysmal conduct of high-ranking elected officials like Sen. “Terrible Tommy” Wright – a bullying narcissistic creep and lecherous scumbag with a pathological inability to control his temper or base impulses, given to the abuse of females and lewd come-ons to vulnerable domestic violence victims – to the erosion of our foundational principles by greedy insiders with a bought and paid for chip in the game, the Sunshine State and its political subdivisions has all the earmarks of a fetid Banana Republic…

Fortunately, justice has prevailed in one of most blatant cases of political power run amok.  

In the dramatic culmination of a case that exposed the depth of cut-throat political power in Florida, last week, a panel of judges from the Fifth District Court of Appeal exonerated former Sumpter County Commissioner Oren Miller – a 73-year-old retiree who Governor Ron DeSantis removed from office in 2021 – who later had his life destroyed, serving 75 days in prison on a bogus charge of lying under oath.

The case, colloquially known as “The Vendetta in the Villages,” stemmed from citizen opposition to a 25% property tax increase to subsidize further development south of the sprawling retirement community. 

The amount of money at stake for the developer of The Villages was in the hundreds-of-millions.

According to a February 2023 article in The Intercept, reporter Ryan Grim explained, “The developer is a spaghetti bowl of LLCs doing business collectively as The Villages, which is still owned by the Morse family, descendants of Harold Schwartz, who founded what became the community in the 1970s as a trailer park…”

According to the report, the family owns the local newspaper, The Villages Daily Sun, the community radio station, a glossy magazine, “…and also owns local politics.”

When running for office, Miller said, “This place has grown like crazy.  The developers pay no impact fees for schools, for fire, for EMS, for police, for parks and recreation, for government buildings. The only impact fees they do pay are for roads, and they only pay 40 percent of the recommended amount.”

Sound familiar?   

To oppose the tax increase, three residents of The Villages – Craig Estep, Oren Miller, and Gary Search – stepped up to run for the Sumpter County Commission. 

Despite the fact incumbent candidates received massive financial backing from contractors and others doing business with The Villages, the three candidates ultimately won their seats, setting up a 3-2 majority. 

That’s when things took an ominous turn…

Almost immediately, Miller and Search found themselves under investigation by the Fifth District State Attorney’s Office on allegations they violated Florida’s Sunshine Law – essentially discussing commission business during telephone calls outside of an open meeting.  

While neither man was ever charged with violating the public records law, investigators claimed that during interviews Miller was “…repeatedly hazy in response to questions as to when the calls stopped.”

According to The Intercept’s report, “At one point, the investigator prompted Miller with a claim he had not made, saying that the calls ended in January. Miller agreed with him, but elsewhere gave different estimates, and at another point said that whatever the phone records said was accurate.”

Inexplicably, Miller was charged with felony perjury and spent 75 days in jail along with three years of probation and community service.

Mr. Search was similarly prosecuted but accepted a plea deal. 

It served as a chilling example of what happens to those in the Sunshine State who dare stand in opposition to the voracious appetites of special interests with close ties to unbridled political power…  

Last Friday, Grim reported, “Oren Miller has been exonerated. On Thursday, a Florida appeals court overturned the conviction of the 73-year-old retiree turned former Sumter County commissioner, who was removed from office by Ron DeSantis in 2021 amid a battle with the Florida governor’s high-dollar donors. The court took the unusual step of not just vacating the previous conviction, but also instructing the lower court to insert a new verdict of “not guilty.”

The saga of Miller and his fellow commissioner, Gary Search, who was similarly prosecuted, captured national attention earlier this year after The Intercept reported on the backlash to their effort to roll back property taxes in The Villages retirement community. A surge in public support for Miller’s legal defense fund enabled him to appeal his conviction.

Ahead of the investigation into Miller and Search, as The Intercept previously reported, a top Villages official, who has hosted DeSantis for fundraisers, told Search on Election Day he had the personal phone number of DeSantis, adding, according to Search: “Search, just remember one thing: I’m a big person, you’re a little person. I can squash you anytime I want.”

Wow.

And that, friends and neighbors, is a short course in how things work in the cloistered Halls of Power here in Florida – the biggest whorehouse in the world…   

Ultimately, Oren Miller lost everything – his life left in ruins – yet, in an incredible display of courage, Mr. Miller previously said he would run for office again if his name was cleared. 

Now, with his honor restored, time will tell…

Asshole           Flagler County School Board

It should be apparent to anyone paying attention that government entities in Florida would prefer to perform what passes for “the people’s business” in effective darkness – away from the prying eyes of those who pay the bills and are expected to keep our pieholes shut. 

I have several theories, not the least of which is the lack of an effective ethics apparatus that holds elected and appointed officials accountable for their abhorrent conduct and obvious self-enrichment – or, when blinded by hubris, an elective body decides they are above the law – often with little legal (or political) repercussions.

Last week in this space I mentioned a strange episode involving an agriculture teacher at Buddy Taylor Middle School in Palm Coast who used a garden hose to flush wild rats out of a burrow in the presence of students.   

In the bedlam that ensued, at least one student was bitten on the finger, and an internal investigation ultimately resulted in a mild reprimand for the teacher involved.

Pursuant to Florida’s public records law, the completed investigation was properly released to area media outlets with the story reported first by FlaglerLive! and later by The Daytona Beach News-Journal. 

The initial report included a verbatim excerpt from a written statement provided by an unidentified Buddy Taylor student, which read, in part:

“Mis. (redacted) askt me if i cold grab thar talls [meaning tails] and put them in a bucet. I sed yes so whal we are doing this a rat bit me it did not bracke skin and did not hert.”

Look, I’m not trying to embarrass anyone here. 

Literacy is one of the most serious issues of our time – but something tells me Flagler County students may be victims of more than wild rat attacks… 

Rather than use this incident as a teaching tool – to prompt a discussion of literacy, the fact Florida’s college admittance scores rank among the lowest in the nation, judgement in the classroom, or even modern pest-control techniques – last week, Flagler County School Board member Will Furry went on the defensive and launched a rambling tirade suggesting that the district should have willfully broken the law and redacted student statements from the investigative report before it was released to media outlets.

According to a report in FlaglerLive!:

“Furry criticized the district – and, again, School Board Attorney Kristy Gavin – for not censoring student statements in the report about Buddy Taylor Middle School students getting bitten by rats in September. “I cannot believe that there’s not a state statute that we could have applied to not release those statements,” he said. There isn’t. But Furry said the district should have “used our own discretion” to censor the report anyway, and dare anyone to post a challenge.

The names of the students were redacted, but not the statements themselves, in accordance with law. Furry’s criticism was prompted by an article here last week that summarized the investigative report. Furry was sharply critical of the article, too, though that’s not unusual. Gavin explained to Furry repeatedly that the statements could not, under the law, have been redacted.”

Unfortunately, Furry wasn’t going to let a little thing like state statutes get in the way of protecting himself – and the district – from even more political embarrassment and public humiliation – which appears to be the only leavening agent remaining for some elected officials…

As FlaglerLive! aptly stated, “…there is no discretion in public record redactions. Either the law provides for an exemption, or it does not. It’s not the custodian’s call.”

In addition, board member Christy Chong was “furious” that the investigation was “leaked” – it wasn’t.  The incident was reported on social media almost immediately after it happened, and reporters naturally made inquiry.    

You may remember that in August, the Flagler County School Board was caught meeting privately following a press conference by Superintendent LaShakia Moore regarding a previous embarrassment at Bunnell Elementary School that garnered international media attention after African American students were subjected to a segregated assembly. 

Following Ms. Moore’s press conference, the elected members of the School Board gathered behind closed doors to secretly discuss – who knows?

For the uninitiated, under Florida’s open meetings law it is illegal for elected members of the same board to meet or discuss matters that may come before the board outside of a properly noticed public meeting…

Ultimately, besieged School Board Attorney Kristy Gavin (who is currently awaiting termination – and the massive compensatory damages that will follow) entered the room and rightfully broke up the secluded klatch.

Unfortunately, the secret confab added fuel and speculation to the crisis.

In Flagler County, it appears School Board members would rather force taxpayers to fight for their right to know, to understand, and become aware of the good, the bad, and the ugly of how their children are being educated (or not). 

I learn best from those who look at civic issues through different eyes and engage in thoughtful debate – the vigorous competition of ideas and diversity of opinion that spurs a deeper discussion of the issues we collectively face beyond the bureaucratic bias. 

That begins with a free press aggressively investigating, digging beyond the surface spin, and reporting on the machinations of government and taxing districts. 

For those safeties to work, it is a moral imperative of those holding high office to maintain transparency and follow both the letter and spirit of public records law, speak the truth, and be open to public input and critique. 

Apparently, robust reportage and the resultant exchange of ideas in the community is making some important policymakers nervous – because it lets them know We, The Little People are paying attention to how the sausage gets made.

In my view, it is time for Flagler County voters to purge the likes of Will Furry – and any other politician who seeks to hide controversial issues from public view as a means of protecting their own political asses from public criticism.

Quote of the Week

“For exasperated, desperate homeowners such as Paul Valigorsky in Volusia’s Wilbur-by-the-Sea, the unsafe to occupy notice is the latest chapter in a year-long battle with insurance companies, state and federal agencies and county officials.

“We’re not doing very well and Volusia County fights us every step of the way,” said Valigorsky, a Pittsburgh resident who owns the three-bedroom, two-bath vacation home at 4101 S. Atlantic with his wife, Toni Cherry, and her sister Paula. There, Nicole delivered the knock-out blow in an assault that began when Tropical Storm Ian first destroyed its deck, beach walkway, sea wall, and two lateral walls. Valigorsky’s frustrations began after Ian, when he says the bureaucratic process involving FEMA and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection thwarted his efforts to replace the destroyed seawall with a new temporary one constructed of boulders that could have resisted Nicole’s impact. He had presented the agency with a permit for that work to be done by a local engineer.

Instead, the homeowners were allowed to install a vinyl seawall that failed against the power of Nicole.

In the months since, Valigorsky said the family has received little support or cooperation from any source to embark on their intention to rebuild.”

–Reporter Jim Abbott, writing in The Daytona Beach News-Journal, “After Nicole,” Sunday, November 12, 2023

For most of us who call Volusia County home, life has returned to what passes for “normal” here following the back-to-back meteorological assaults of Tropical Storms Ian and Nicole one year ago.

But for some residents of Wilbur-by-the-Sea, the bureaucratic nightmare continues – brought back like a bad flashback by this week’s blustery weather…

In recent weeks, I’ve listened to the experiences of a few people involved in South Peninsula recovery efforts, some of whom have never interacted with county or state government agencies before. 

It is tragically apparent that these individuals are learning a hard lesson about the omnipotent power of faceless bureaucrats and the wholesale indifference of those elected representatives charged with setting public policy. 

To add insult, earlier this week, something called the Volusia County Licensing and Construction Appeals Board sat in judgement of taxpayers as they considered demolition orders for properties unable to be repaired – an action that would require homeowners to foot the bill or face massive liens. 

In his excellent exposé “After Nicole,” News-Journal reporter Jim Abbott quoted perhaps the most frustratingly obtuse, time-buying non-answer every uttered by a senior bureaucrat when Volusia’s Emergency Services Director Jim “Captain Obvious” Judge mewled:

“Residents in each community impacted by Hurricane Nicole are still recovering in some respects.  Property owners along the coast are at varying degrees of the recovery process, with some completely restored while others may have yet to begin…”

No shit, Jimmy. 

So, what are your grossly overpaid cronies in the Ivory Tower of Power doing to help?

After listening to the repetitive hurdles being placed in the path of desperate homeowners fighting to save what remains of their properties from being consumed by nature, I question what the endgame is for those special interests who seem to control everything but the ebb and flow of the Atlantic tide here on the “Fun Coast”?

When homeowners are denied the right to rebuild, fortify the shoreline, stalled by obstinate insurance companies, unable to sell their property, forced to demolish what remains while permits are stalled, then become financially strapped – what options remain, other than abandonment and foreclosure?  

What ultimately becomes of these oceanfront properties once the damaged homes have been scraped from what remains of the dunes? 

I’ve got a few suspicions…I’ll bet you do too.

While South Peninsula homeowners, condominiums, and hotels are literally drowning in bureaucratic red tape, to the north developers are gliding through the sham process that invariably leads to a rubber stamp approval of yet another high-rise building on the same crumbling dune line.  

As anxious Halifax area residents see the effects of beach erosion with their own eyes – and repeatedly consider grim headlines, such as – “Plans for oceanfront condo high-rise in Daytona raises concerns from neighbors,” or “’It’s been harrowing’: Residents recount ordeal of having to abandon beachfront condos,” etc. – many are asking why, rather than consider a moratorium on further development east of the Coastal Construction Control Line, our ‘powers that be’ continue to facilitate high-rise monstrosities while stonewalling existing residents who are trying hard to save what remains of existing homes?  

Good question.

If you can get an answer from anyone in state or county government, let me know…

And Another Thing!

Last week, residents of Palm Coast descended on City Hall to explain to their seemingly clueless elected officials what everyone in the sprawling community already knows: Changes in topography caused by new construction is resulting in flooding to adjacent homes. 

Sound familiar New Smyrna, Daytona Beach, Deltona, Ormond Beach, Volusia County, etc., etc., etc.?

You don’t have to be a hydrogeological engineer to understand that water flows downhill – and when dirt is trucked in to raise the elevation of building lots – stormwater is going to run toward low-lying surrounding properties. 

At present, Palm Coast does not have height regulations for new home foundations in its land development code…

According to a recent report in FlaglerLive!, we learned:

“They (concerned residents) got a measure of satisfaction, at least in words and promises, though as far as reversing course on ongoing construction or fill allowances, that’s not in the cards. Only new regulations could affect that, and new building regulations take time. But that’s what a council member is pledging.

“We still have 1000s of infill lots that this can potentially still happen on,” City Council member Theresa Pontieri said. “I have asked city manager to work with staff to readdress our land development code and our technical manual to address this on a larger scale, so that we can not only fix what’s going on now, but also look to the future. And I’ve asked for deliverables from city staff in the form of updates.”

Pontieri spoke after nearly a dozen people had brought their stories to the council.”

Many in Flagler and Volusia counties are wondering how those we elect and appoint to represent our interests could ignore the obvious and allow a situation like this to develop – approving even more sprawl while knowing the unaddressed consequences faced by existing residents throughout the region? 

Or, how developers could knowingly turn adjacent properties into fetid swamps in their insatiable quest to shoehorn more, more, more in this current “shove ten-pounds of shit into a five-pound bag” growth management strategy?

During last week’s discussion, when Councilman Ed Danko attempted to question the city’s construction manager, Carl Cote – asking if he would mind living next to an artificially elevated property – Mayor Alfin slammed the gavel so forcefully the sound startled his “colleagues” and shocked onlookers. 

Hey, I get it.  We can’t have elected representatives asking the tough questions of staff during a public meeting, now can we? 

I mean, where does that crazy “accountability and transparency” horseshit end, eh?

According to an account by FlaglerLive!, after Hizzoner’s officious gavel banging, “…the large crowd hissed, while Alfin himself seemed aware that he may have slammed the gavel harder than he intended. He threatened to clear the room, asked Danko to continue his inquiries with the city manager later, and turned to Pontieri, who then made her pledge, urging residents to contact council members and the city and follow-up even as she spoke cautiously about existing limitations.”

Following the meeting, City Manager Denise Bevan announced Palm Coast has formed a “task force,” apparently comprised of the city’s “internal technical staff” (?), to review residential flooding on a case-by-case basis…

In my view, Palm Coast residents shouldn’t expect any assistance from current Mayor/Realtor David Alfin as he advances his self-serving plan to pave every square inch of vacant property in an all-out push for buildout. 

That may be good news for those in the real estate development industry – but not so much for those who live in the rapidly expanding community.   

This week, a Jacksonville-based consultant hired by the city reported that Palm Coast residents could see an 18% increase in water and sewer rates over the next three years to alleviate the cost of growth’s impact on utilities infrastructure… 

Whoever said, “growth pays for itself,” lied… 

According to FlaglerLive!, during the discussion of development induced flooding, Marilyn Mack, a disabled resident of Palm Coast’s F-Section, who has reportedly been locked in a 14-month fight after a construction company damaged her property, said:

“Something’s not right here. This is not how the government is supposed to work.  The inspector came out and gave them their certificate of occupancy knowing that my property looked like that. That’s not right. That’s not how the government is supposed to work. You’re supposed to work for us.”

“And everybody that works for the city and whatever departments, construction and everything else, just turned a blind eye and–well, no problem. She’ll have to deal with it,” Mack said, noting that she’s been dealing with it for 14 months. “I don’t need this on my plate. I’ve got enough going on.”

I agree, Ms. Mack.  This is not how government is supposed to work. 

Not in Palm Coast.  Not anywhere…

That’s all for me.  Have a wonderful Thanksgiving, y’all!

_____________________

In keeping with tradition, Barker’s View will take a break next week as we join with family and friends to celebrate the holiday – and give grateful thanks for all the wonderful gifts in our lives. 

The friendship and loyalty of Barker’s View readers is a great blessing for me, and, whether we agree or disagree on the issues of the day, thank you for taking the time to read and consider an alternative opinion. 

My sincere hope is that you and your family enjoy all the bounty and blessings of this Joyous Season!

From the Barker family to yours, Happy Thanksgiving!

I hate to split hairs, but The Daytona Beach News-Journal got one wrong this week. 

A headline announcing an informative article by Sheldon Gardner erroneously read, “Volusia Council to seek $4.5M from state in Ormond Beach fuel facility fight.”   

Trust me.  The Volusia County Council had nothing to do with this…

Last week, in an off-the-agenda ambush, our slack jawed elected representatives learned the news at the same time their blindsided constituents did when Deputy County Manager Susan Konchon “threw a curveball” and announced that Volusia County would be working with state Rep. Tom Leek and the county’s lobbying firm to seek a $4.5 million appropriation, apparently to bribe Belvedere Terminals into agreeing to an “alternative site” for the proposed 13-million-gallon fuel terminal in Ormond Beach.

Speaking from the dais during a discussion of Volusia County’s 2024 legislative priorities, Konchon dropped the bombshell, “It is necessary to help prepare an alternative site with, say, utilities or road infrastructure to relocate the facility to a more appropriate place than its current site.”

Wait. 

Why would those faceless bureaucrats who work in virtual anonymity in the bowels of the Thomas C. Kelly Administration Building seek millions in public funds to provide utilities and infrastructure for Belvedere Terminals – a private company whose CEO, we learned this week in a disturbing piece by Cheryl Smith in Treasure Coast Newspapers, “…has had criminal and financial issues, including two bankruptcies and a conviction for bribing a public official, according to court records.”?

I mean, why aren’t county bureaucrats seeking state funds to improve Volusia County’s wholly inadequate public utilities and transportation infrastructure as malignant development continues its inexorable spread? 

And why were our elected representatives (once again) left out of the loop by their staff?

Before it was decided by a behind-closed-doors wave of a bureaucratic wand that Volusia County would appropriate public funds as a potential incentive for a foreign owned railway and bulk fuel supplier (both Belvedere Terminals and the Florida East Coast Railway are subsidiaries of mining and infrastructure giant Grupo Mexico) from relocating to Hull Road in Ormond Beach – that decision should have been openly discussed, with time for public input, and voted on by those we elect to maintain the checks and balances over county government.

You know, the same elected representatives whose ignorance and inaction got us into this mess in the first place…

In my view, city, county, and state government should use all legal and legislative means necessary to stop this potential disaster from being built adjacent to thousands of homes, a sports complex, and the municipal airport. 

But recent ploys – such as the use of public funds to lease or purchase the property in perpetuity – or spending $4.5 million in taxpayer money on a weird corporate welfare scheme to underwrite the fuel facility somewhere else is a slippery slope.

For instance, since 2017, Grupo Mexico has more than doubled its metal melting capacity in Peru after environmental regulations were loosened – that is about the same time the company announced an expansion of its profitable oil-by-rail business, building at least three terminals in Mexico.

To take things to the extreme, anyone want a commercial copper smelter here in our backyard unless Volusia County ponies up a lucrative sweetheart deal for the next developer?     

A slippery slope indeed…

In my view, Volusia County bureaucrats are taking us down an extremely dangerous rabbit hole – and this latest intrigue, concocted in a backroom in DeLand, deserves a second look from state representatives and regulatory agencies. 

Hi, kids!

It’s time once again to turn a jaundiced eye toward the newsmakers of the day – the winners and losers – who, in my cynical opinion, either contributed to our quality of life, or detracted from it, in some significant way.

Let’s look at who tried to screw us – and who tried to save us – during the week that was:

Asshole           Palm Coast City Council

I find it interesting (if not nauseating) how elected officials at all levels use clever diversions to distract constituents from their complicity in the pressing issues of our time. 

Call it what you want – the “machinations of government,” Parkinson’s Law of Triviality run amok, or “legislative legerdemain” – but it is a well-thought strategic deception employed by conniving politicians to keep uninformed voters focused on anything other than that which is important to their lives and livelihoods.  

For example, in the rapidly expanding City of Palm Coast, a place that this year alone issued development orders for 4,138 residential units with 13,361 already “in the pipeline” – the elected officials are doing everything in their power to accelerate growth behind a smokescreen of trifling matters. 

Now, worried residents are beginning to take notice, and Flagler County watchers believe the rapid pace of malignant sprawl will be a dominant factor in next year’s elections.  

Trust me.  An alert, engaged, and educated electorate is never a good thing for politicians…

Recently, the Palm Coast City Council has been mired in nonsensical discussions of a “Code of Conduct” – something elected officials would be asked to sign – along with a plan to include “background checks” for newly elected office holders (?).

According to a recent article in FlaglerLive!:

“City staff at the Oct. 24 meeting presented an overview of the city’s current policies for how public meetings are conducted and mentioned the option of altering the public comment procedure of workshops to include public comment after each agenda item, as the city does during business meetings.

Mayor David Alfin had requested during a workshop meeting last spring that city staff create a draft code of conduct. Alfin also asked the council to consider requiring background checks for elected officials once they are elected.

Alfin said implementing background checks would put council members on the same level as city employees, who must also pass a background check before they are hired.

“I’m trying to raise the bar so that we are shoulder to shoulder with all of our city staff,” he said.”

Sure you are…

As you may remember, earlier this year, in an informative article by Mark Harper writing in The Daytona Beach News-Journal, we learned that Palm Coast has now surpassed The Lost City of Deltona as the largest municipality by population in Volusia and Flagler Counties.

According to the report, “Alfin, the city’s mayor since 2021, intends to capitalize on Palm Coast’s population feat. “I’ll spare no amount of energy to make sure everybody knows it. It’s good for the community,” he said.

More than that, though, Alfin is stoked about what appears to be another growth surge. The first homes are being built in new developments west of U.S. 1, including Sawmill Branch near Matanzas Woods Parkway, and Reverie, a couple of miles to the south.”

He’s “stoked” all right. 

Did I mention that Mayor Alfin is in the real estate business?

Now, many Palm Coast residents are concerned that their city government seems unwilling or unable to maintain the woefully inadequate existing municipal infrastructure.  But rather than tap the brakes and take a conservative approach to future growth – Mayor Alfin is calling for more, more, more.

“Alfin said that’s only a part of an even larger future-growth exercise the city is undertaking: plotting out the buildout of the city’s land.

“We’re master-planning a doubling of the geographic footprint of the city, 40,000 acres,” Alfin said. “We call it the frontier project or initiative. There is no other swath of land this size that exists on the east side of Florida that can be master-planned.”

In April, the city’s Planning and Land Development Regulation Board approved the massive “Palm Coast Park” – another “development of regional impact,” which will ultimately blanket an area of 4,677 acres with 6,454 cracker boxes – an increase of 3,600 “dwelling units” since the project was initially approved way back in 2004…

But for now, the Palm Coast City Council would prefer residents focus on the minutiae of a “Code of Conduct,” and the tut-tutting of Vice Mayor Ed Danko, who fanned the flames of this contrived tempest in a teapot by grumbling that the unenforceable code would be used as “…a political weapon — if you don’t sign it — that others will use against you.”

Whatever…

Meanwhile, Palm Coast continues to press this strategy of uncontrolled and invasive growth (the same approach used by a cancerous tumor), blanketing Flagler County with no concern for the adverse effects of density, school overcrowding, insufficient public utilities, water quality and quantity, or the expensive services and infrastructure required to sustain it. 

It’s no secret that ignorance, mediocrity, and paltriness have come to dominate local politics – the proof of that is in the quality of governance in Volusia and Flagler Counties – places that have come to define transactional politics, where malleable elected officials owe their political souls to special interests in the real estate development industry who underwrite their campaigns and expect a return on investment. 

Now, that pernicious “arrangement” is coming home to roost in places like Volusia County, Ormond Beach, Palm Coast, and “New Daytona” west of I-95 – but, like the Great and Powerful Oz said, “Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain!”

Instead, our elected marionettes would prefer we keep our eyes on the jabbering and ruses of those sleight-of-hand artists on the dais of power as they quietly sell our quality of life to the highest bidder… 

Angel               Dr. Pamela Carbiener of Halifax OBGYN

Admittedly, I can be a snarky pain in the ass – sarcastically calling out where the strongman stumbled, or the doer of deeds could have done them better.   

Just part of my charm…

But even an infernal cynic like me understands the importance of giving credit to those who are truly giving of their time and talents to improve our collective quality of life. 

This year, the Community Foundation and United Way of Volusia-Flagler Counties got it right when they awarded Dr. Pamela Carbiener of Halifax OBGYN the Herbert M. Davidson Award for Community Service at their annual Celebration of Philanthropy on October 24!

In my view, Dr. Carbiener is a true ‘hometown hero,’ working tirelessly to provide quality prenatal care for at-risk mothers, and according to her impressive bio, she has become the “go to” obstetrician for women with addiction, homelessness, and mental illness.

In addition, Dr. Carbiener’s remarkable community involvement includes service as the first medical director of the Rape Crisis Center, founder of COPE, Halifax Board of Commissioners, and service on the boards of Healthy Start, Healthy Communities, the Bert Fish Foundation, The Daytona State College Center for Women and Men, the Halifax Health Foundation, the Daytona Blues Festival and the Stewart Marchman Act Foundation, among many other notable contributions.

Thanks to Dr. Carbiener’s dedication, leadership, and fundraising efforts, expectant mothers – regardless of circumstance – now have access to quality prenatal care. 

In addition, Priscilla Chanfrau of Adams, Cameron and Co. was recognized with the Community Champion Award.

According to the Ormond Beach Observer, “Chanfrau is involved on many community boards including the Daytona Beach Police Foundation, Rotary of Daytona Beach, Checkered Flag Committee, Junior League, Daytona Regional Chamber Young Professionals Group, the Adams Cameron Foundation, and the Civic League.”

Very impressive. 

Kudos to the Community Foundation and United Way for selecting these most deserving recipients for this special recognition!

Asshole           City of Daytona Beach Redevelopment Division

Sometimes I question our civic priorities here in the land of haves and have nots. 

A place where money matters, and you don’t.

This week, we learned that two long-established food pantries were summarily closed by ministerial edict of the City of Daytona Beach citing an ordinance that prohibits the distribution of food to those less fortunate within designated redevelopment areas… 

I guess withholding lifegiving sustenance to hungry families is one way to keep the riffraff out, eh? 

Last Friday, Daytona Beach officials visited First Christian Church on South Palmetto Avenue and Seventh Day Baptist Church on Live Oak Avenue – both located within the vast food desert that is the Downtown Redevelopment Area – and ordered them to cease their food drives. 

The enforcement action came as a surprise for both houses of worship, as the food pantries were serving the community long before the ordinance was passed in 2012 – a previously lawful undertaking that many believe should have been “grandfathered” in.

According to an informative report by WESH-2, “In an email from the city, they say residents and business owners complained about loitering and traffic issues at both churches.”

Really? 

I’m not the sharpest knife in the drawer, but some might consider the increase in traffic and “loitering” an indicator of an unfulfilled need in the area – rather than a trigger for draconian enforcement action. 

Besides, with the Holidays just around the corner, why now? 

Fortunately, according to a report this week in The Daytona Beach News-Journal, the churches have a friend in area attorney Chobee Ebbets:

“Thanks to the pro bono help of a longtime local attorney whose law office building is in the middle of the two churches, the city decided this week First Christian Church can resume its food pantry distributions immediately. The situation for Seventh Day Baptist Church is more complicated since its food pantry hasn’t been open as long, but attorney Chobee Ebbets is hopeful he can lock in an agreement with the city to get that parish’s small pantry up and running again soon, too.

“Today I saw people with carts turned away,” said Ebbets, whose law office is in a 113-year-old coquina house next door to Seventh Day Baptist Church.

Ebbets doesn’t want to see anyone else sadly walking back home with an empty cart or bag. He said he’ll sue the city if it doesn’t allow the Seventh Day Baptist Church pantry to reopen soon — and without penalty.”

Thank you, Mr. Ebbets!

I suspect the complaint that spurred the crackdown did not originate from the elected and appointed officials at City Hall – but from someone who, with a full belly, decided that the distribution of food to needy families doesn’t comport with their haughty vision of “progress” and “revitalization” – which, in Volusia County, typically translates to well-connected insiders using public funds to underwrite their for-profit endeavors in redevelopment areas…

Sound familiar? 

The fact is food pantries throughout Volusia County provide nourishment to those experiencing food insecurity.  For instance, the venerated Jerry Doliner Food Bank in Ormond Beach helps feed hundreds of families in Volusia and Flagler Counties each year. 

Look, I’m not the most pious guy you know.  Just another unrepentant sinner making his way in a world gone mad – and my generosity is leavened by the old saw, “Charity begins at home…” 

Which translates to “I’m a cheap bastard…” 

But (try as I might), I am not indifferent to the suffering of others – and hard-earned experience has taught that life can be unfair to all of us.  Unfortunately, we live in a time when rampant inflation has stressed family budgets, leaving many just one illness, tragic accident, or missed paycheck away from financial ruin – and the frayed mesh on our tattered and torn societal “safety net” is getting wider all the time.

One characteristic of a healthy community is a sensitivity to the needs of those less fortunate – a concern for the “least among us” – or at least a willingness to get the hell out of the way while others provide for the welfare of those who need help. 

As community compassion declines, so do our civic values – respect for human dignity, a willingness to confront injustice, kindness, empathy, generosity, and acceptance – the moral imperatives of living together as a society.

Screw it.  Who cares, right?

Seriously.  Who among us cares?

Look, I talk a good line, but like Somerset Maugham wrote in The Razor’s Edge, “It is easy to be a holy man at the top of a mountain.”

At least I’m willing to admit my own hypocrisy. I just wish our local ‘powers that be’ would…

According to the City of Daytona Beach’s Downtown Redevelopment Area Plan (as amended August 4, 2010 (?)), “It is anticipated that physical and social conditions in the areas of greatest need will improve as resources are targeted to improve public safety as well as better manage destabilizing influences associated with socio-economic factors.”

I guess when that doesn’t go to plan, they simply forcibly “improve” social conditions at the point of a legislative spear, eh?  

I wish our elected and appointed officials would admit that it is much more convenient to sweep the ugly and unpleasant under the rug from their comfortably appointed offices – to hide the blemishes and “destabilizing influences” from public view using any bureaucratic means necessary – and create an attractive façade that will encourage entrepreneurial investment rather than address the long-term factors that contribute to blight and hunger.   

Unfortunately, dealing with those core issues that have plagued areas of the Halifax area for years – and developing an integrated approach and comprehensive vision for reversing years of civic neglect – is going to require more thought than turning away hungry families during this season of giving…     

Quote of the Week

“Santiago made the motion at the council’s Oct. 17 meeting to explore amending the county’s North U.S. 1 Interlocal Service Boundary Agreement with Ormond Beach, first adopted in 2014. The agreement established a municipal service area to encourage coordination in planning, service delivery and boundary adjustments between the two government bodies.

The agreement currently only includes properties on the northeast side of U.S. 1. In a statement on Friday, the city said that the county’s proposal to expand the ISBA to include the property at 874 Hull Road would prohibit the city from being able to deny utilities and annexation.

“As previously stated, we believe there is no benefit to the citizens of Volusia County for this property to be annexed and zoned within Ormond Beach because it would grant the developer utilities and rights that it does not now have,” the statement said.

Currently, the city is trying to eliminate its I-2 “Heavy Industrial” zoning district from its code.

Councilman Troy Kent and Council Chair Jeff Brower voted against the resolution, saying moving forward with amending the ISBA could strain relations between the city and the county.  (In fact, Chairman Brower voted for the resolution, with Kent casting the lone “no” vote.)

“I think keeping this on, we’re in a situation where we continue to incite negative feelings between the two government bodies and that’s not my goal here,” Kent said.”

–As excerpted from an informative article by Jarleene Almenas, writing in the Ormond Beach Observer, “County Council takes step to amend agreement that Ormond says could force it to annex fuel farm,” Tuesday, November 7, 2023

Anyone who still questions why most area municipalities refuse to trust Volusia County government need look no further than Tuesday’s continuing legislative legerdemain by Councilman David “Houdini” Santiago.

Although the City of Ormond Beach has repeatedly said it does not want to include the property at 874 Hull Road – the site of the proposed Belvedere Terminals bulk fuel facility – in its interlocal service boundary agreement with Volusia County, earlier this week, the Volusia County Council said, “who gives a shit what you want?” to Ormond Beach residents in a 6-1 vote to force the discussion anyway…

Councilman Troy Kent cast the lone “no” vote to deny the resolution.

Prior to the vote, in a statement before the Volusia County Council, Ormond Beach Mayor Bill Partington (speaking with a passion just above congealed wallpaper paste) used his three-minute audience to reiterate that there is no benefit to Ormond Beach residents in annexing the Hull Road property as it would grant Belvedere even more rights than it currently enjoys. 

In addition, the Volusia County Council also voted unanimously to direct county staff to initiate negotiations with the landowner – Florida East Coast Railway (which, like Belvedere, is a subsidiary of Grupo Mexico) — regarding the possibility of Volusia County taxpayers leasing or purchasing the land (?)…

Then, in the most shocking revelation of the meeting, during a briefing on Volusia County’s legislative priorities for the 2024 session, Deputy County Manager Suzanne Konchan “threw a curveball” (her words, not mine) when she reported – in an off-the-agenda bombshell – that Volusia County will seek $4.5 million from state coffers for a possible “alternative location” for the Belvedere fuel terminal. 

Say what?

According to Konchan, county staff will work with state Rep. Tom Leek’s office and lobbying firm Southern Strategies to present an independent “appropriations document” seeking public funds to underwrite Grupo Mexico’s relocation of the proposed fuel facility… 

I guess if you can’t beat ‘em – become business partners with ‘em, eh?

If I understood Ms. Konchon (and I’m not sure I did), the funds would be used if “…it is necessary to help prepare an alternative site with, say, utilities or road infrastructure to relocate the facility to a more appropriate place than its current site.”

Whoa. 

In my view, like leasing or purchasing the property, that sets another dangerous precedent for any developer who wants to hold Volusia County taxpayer’s hostage in the future…

Something tells me that our elected and appointed officials ‘asleep at the wheel’ approach to this extremely volatile (pun frighteningly intended) issue is going to prove costly for Florida taxpayers. 

I don’t make this shit up, folks. 

Even with my Mittyesque imagination, I couldn’t if I tried…    

I can say that, as a veteran observer of the raging dumpster fire that is Volusia County politics, I often judge present Volusia County Council members by the dysfunction of previous councils. 

I hate to say it, but it is now clear that those who made up past iterations of this elective body couldn’t carry the jockstraps of those numbskulls who currently inhabit the dais in terms of gross ineffectiveness, ineptitude, and penchant for public policy by ambush… 

And Another Thing!

As the young folks say, “WTF?”

Earlier this week, area residents were flabbergasted by a glaring headline in FlaglerLive! – “A Student Is Bitten By a Wild Rat at Buddy Taylor Middle School’s Farm; Teacher Reprimanded” – the story, also reported by The Daytona Beach News-Journal and other regional news outlets, chronicled a district investigation into an agriculture teacher at Buddy Taylor Middle School in Palm Coast who exposed students to angry rodents when she flushed a colony of rats out of a hole. 

Trust me.  That’s not the weirdest thing that happened in Volusia and Flagler County schools in recent weeks…   

In September, everyone in the Free World became aware of a horribly ill-advised plan hatched by a few so-called “educators” at Bunnell Elementary School that segregated Black fourth and fifth grade students from their classmates, brought them into the cafeteria, and subjected them to a now infamous five slide PowerPoint presentation entitled “AA (African American) Presentation.”

The presentation, rife with grammatical errors, was ostensibly intended to increase standardized test scores – even though some of the students forced to endure the lecture were already earning A’s and B’s.   

Sadly, these segregated “assemblies” involved teachers frightening children with threats they could end up in jail or dead if they failed to excel – then pitted students against one another in a strange scholastic “competition” that would earn the winners a meal at McDonald’s…

Then came a series of highly publicized violent incidents on Flagler County campuses – to include a wild donnybrook at Matanzas High School that resulted in the arrest of eleven students – followed by the arrest of a 14-year-old student at Indian Trails Middle School who allegedly pulled a knife on other students after an on-campus fight. 

In October, we learned that school officials mistakenly transferred $719,583.20 to a fraudulent vendors account – the result of a cybertheft – with Flagler County Sheriff Rick Staly recently reporting that the money is unlikely to be recovered… 

Last week, the Flagler County School Board was back in the news facing righteous criticism of “fiscal irresponsibility” and “unjust actions” as it staggers deeper into the process of unlawfully terminating board attorney Kristy Gavin, who has served the district for the past seventeen years.

I could go on, but I won’t – because Volusia County District Schools takes the cake this week… 

In a disturbing story that made the rounds on social media this week, after Volusia County District Schools imported teachers from the Philippines to compensate for its inability to recruit and retain qualified teachers at home, district officials apparently forgot that those émigrés would need, oh, a roof over their heads, basic home furnishings, bedding, the necessities of life, etc., etc. – which resulted in a private request for donations on Facebook earlier this week.

You read that right.

Although many generously responded with donated items, others rightfully questioned how the senior leadership of Volusia County Schools could contract with foreign teachers, then ignore their basic needs once they travelled halfway around the globe? 

Then, on Tuesday, Volusia County Superintendent Carmen Balgobin and members of the School Board embarrassed themselves by sending the “B team” consisting of Interim Chief Operating Officer Patricia Corr (who had been in the position for five-days) and Deputy Superintendent Rachel Hazel to appear before the Volusia County Council and present a proposal seeking $350,000 to fund seven additional School Resource Deputies under the terms of an existing agreement with the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office.

According to reports, the School Resource Deputy Agreement states that Volusia County Schools responsibility is 55% while the Sheriff’s Office pays 45% for school resource deputies.

During Corr’s half-assed presentation – devoid of financial and operational specifics – we learned that additional Resource Deputies are needed at Galaxy, Deltona, Heritage, Holly Hill, Creekside, Silver Sands, and Southwestern Middle Schools – along with the shocking revelation that in the first quarter alone there have been 647 incidents of hitting, striking, or fighting in Volusia County middle schools.

According to the presentation, law enforcement has responded to the schools listed in the request 409 times between August 14 and October 6. 

(Damn.  These schools don’t need a deputy – they need a substation…)

In the important discussion that followed, council members asked – with annual budgets for Volusia County, the School District, and the Sheriff’s Office already established – why wouldn’t the Volusia County School Board simply use its ample reserve funds (now estimated at $27 million) to cover the cost of the additional deputies? 

Good question…

Superintendent Balgobin’s conspicuous absence – and the ham-handed way the district’s request was brought forth – seemed to catch Sheriff Michael Chitwood off guard, “I was a little disappointed that my friend, the superintendent, wasn’t here and that the CFO was not here and no one from the school board was here.”

Me too.

After what passed for “negotiations,” it was determined that if the Volusia County Council didn’t pony up the requested funds – the district would simply maintain the status quo – keeping armed guardians in the middle schools rather than fund the sworn law enforcement positions by other means…  

The most pointed questions of the day came from Councilman Troy Kent, a school administrator himself, who clearly had the wholly unprepared Corr and Hazel on their heels with his pointed interrogation.

Before the vote, Mr. Kent remarked, “It’s borderline disrespectful, in my opinion, to come hat in hand asking for money and not having your ducks in a row, with basic statistics ready to go.”

To their credit, the Volusia County Council voted unanimously to deny the request – with Councilman David Santiago admonishing the School Board to have their “house in order” before they come back grubbing for money.  

Wow.  How humiliating for the hapless Volusia County School Board… 

After the rejection, a terse response wafted down like a foul odor from the Ivory Tower of Power in DeLand, which said, in part:

“The discussion that took place this morning regarding the district’s budget and reserves was not relevant to the financial considerations of the interlocal agreement.

VCS previously had school resource deputies in these seven schools, which were removed during the pandemic and replaced with school guardians due to staffing issues.

VSO has supported this initiative and assured VCS that they had the personnel to support these safety measures in our schools if the funding was approved.

The safety and security of our students and staff is, and always will be, the top priority of Volusia County Schools, the Volusia County School Board, Superintendent Dr. Balgobin, and all Volusia County Schools staff members.”

Really? 

So, why are district executives suddenly comfortable with the status quo? 

My God.

According to a September article by Mary Ellen Ritter in The Daytona Beach News-Journal:

“Volusia County Schools approved its budget of over $1.4 billion, an increase of more than $40 million over the current year and the county’s largest budget.

The new tax rate is 5.409, .073 less than the previous rate. Still, that rate is 9.26% higher than what’s needed to bring in the same amount of revenue, according to the school district.”

In addition, “Flagler Schools approved a budget of over $324.9 million for the 2023-24 fiscal year, an increase of more than $123 million over the current year’s budget.

This year’s tax rate is 5.403, .143 less than the previous rate. But that millage rate is 3.22% greater than what’s needed to bring in the same amount of property tax revenue for Flagler Schools.”

Perhaps it is time for We, The Little People to start asking how our hard-earned tax dollars are being spent – and just who is ultimately responsible for this ongoing shit-show that is Volusia and Flagler County Schools?

Then let our thoughts be known at the ballot box…    

That’s all for me.  Have a great time at the Daytona Beach Greek Festival this weekend, y’all!    

Hi, kids!

It’s time once again to turn a jaundiced eye toward the newsmakers of the day – the winners and losers – who, in my cynical opinion, either contributed to our quality of life, or detracted from it, in some significant way.

Let’s look at who tried to screw us – and who tried to save us – during the week that was:

Asshole           Deltona Commissioner Tom Burbank

You can tell a lot about someone’s character by how they treat those less fortunate. 

The instinct to help or hurt others when they are at a disadvantage tells me all I need to know about a person’s values. Once again, Deltona City Commissioner Tom Burbank has proven himself a classless asshole with the uber-weird impulses of a broke-back snake and a narcissistic compulsion for cruelty. 

Last week, Deltona Mayor Santiago Avila, Jr. appeared on regional media outlets to bring attention to the critical lack of affordable housing options in Central Florida.  As an example, Avila announced his family is struggling to meet monthly living expenses with rent now at $1,640 a month for a three-bedroom house in Deltona.

“When you’re trying your best and everything is working against you, it’s very disheartening,” Avila said. 

According to the United Way, Mayor Avila isn’t alone. 

Last year, a report found that 45,000 households in Volusia and Flagler Counties are considered rent burdened. 

During an interview, Mayor Avila acknowledged he is pursuing additional jobs to help make ends meet for his young family, “I’m already looking to get another job,” he said. “So, I’m going to be working multiple jobs, plus whatever I do here as well.”

I think most people have been similarly situated at some point in their lives.  I have… 

Mayor Avila’s willingness to use his personal struggles to highlight a growing problem takes courage, and his openness humanizes the issue of affordable housing in Volusia County, where a resident needs to earn $25.04 an hour to afford a two-bedroom apartment at a fair-market rent of $1,302 a month.

The average wage for renters in Volusia is estimated at $17.48 an hour.    

At present, the average rental rate in Deltona is $1,900 a month…

In a message of encouragement to the community, Mayor Avila recently wrote on social media, “We may be facing difficulties, but together, we’ll find a way. Let’s keep our community strong, vibrant, and accessible to all. Stay tuned for updates on the progress we make, and let’s work together to ensure a brighter future for Deltona.”

So, how did Mayor Avila’s “colleague” Commissioner Tom Burbank contribute to this important conversation?

On Wednesday, October 25, at 6:00am, Commissioner Burbank wrote to Mayor Avila using their official City of Deltona email accounts:

“Junior,

Reaching out to you on this platform in the hopes that one of your acolytes is still getting copies of all my emails.  I would love this to go public.

To the point:

I’ve de-nutted hogs that whined less than you.  You be acting like you’re somehow surprised that you can’t make 20K in rent on a job that pays 15K.  Successful business owner?

Recall these words?  “I am also proficient in sales, marketing, various types of account knowledge and set-up, cash management, accounting, and investment services.  I am skilled in attaining sales and profit objectives in competitive environment.”  

Proficient?  You’ve a history of bad checks, evictions, and loan defaults.  Without assistance and given your single digit credit rating you’re going to have a hard time finding a place to live in Deltona.  You spread lies about colleagues.  I hear Pierson is nice.

Had you not proven to be such an intense pain in my ass I would be tempted to feel sorry for you.  However………

You reap what you sow, right?  “Ponder the path of your feet…remove your foot from evil.”  Proverbs 4:26-27

Tom Burbank

Veteran, senior citizen on a fixed income, disabled and yet somehow able to pay my bills on time on time (sic).”

You may remember that the City of Deltona recently settled a lawsuit with resident Nick Lulli, a private citizen who, quite by surprise, was ambushed and horribly slandered by Commissioner Burbank on social media when Lulli announced he was considering a run for the City Commission in 2024.

According to a release issued by Mr. Lulli in September:

“In February, Burbank, the District 1 Commissioner, wrote untrue statements on Lulli’s Facebook page in an attempt to influence the 2024 election. The statements included homophobic tropes that caused community outrage and led the Commission to censure Burbank for his actions. Lulli, who is now officially a candidate for the District 6 Commissioner seat, did not know Burbank prior to the social media assault.

Lulli subsequently sued the City and Burbank in Volusia County Small Claims Court, alleging the statements were libelous and also claiming the City and Burbank had violated the Sunshine Laws by secretly coordinating potential legislation outside of a public meeting. The $8000 lawsuit was considered symbolic in nature and only intended to compensate Lulli’s legal fees and time. Lulli represented himself and wrote the historic lawsuit which was settled for its original value.”

Now that the good citizens of Deltona have paid dearly for Commissioner Burbank’s vile impulses – rather than learn a valuable lesson – Burbank now shifts his attention-seeking harrying to a fellow elected official who attempted to bring attention to a pressing civic issue faced by communities throughout the state. 

What gives? 

Smarter people than me are seriously concerned about the direction of the Lost City of Deltona, with many stakeholders quietly worried about how Burbank’s unchecked lunacy will affect efforts to recruit the city’s umpteenth City Manager…   

In my view, it is now obvious that Mr. Burbank’s cheese has slipped off his cracker – and unchecked power in the hands of someone incapable of controlling their base impulses can be dangerous – and expensive.   

If the Deltona City Commission is unable or unwilling to address this continuing embarrassment – then it is incumbent upon voters to take all legal steps to recall Mr. Burbank and remove him from office. 

In Florida, the governor has the right and responsibility to suspend elected and appointed officials for wrongdoing, neglect of duty, malfeasance, or incompetence.  Since 2019, Gov. Ron DeSantis has exercised that power some twenty-three times to remove mayors, school board members, a sheriff, and two state prosecutors.   

Look, I realize in Volusia County we have set an extremely low bar for the conduct and effectiveness of elected officials.  But even by our whale shit metric, Commissioner Burbank has repeatedly proven that he lacks the basic competence and restraint to responsibly conduct the powers and duties of an elected representative of the City of Deltona.

In my view, allowing Burbank to crash about like a tempestuous monkey with a knife – intentionally destroying the reputations of others from his lofty perch, pushing the envelope of Florida’s Sunshine Law, and further eroding the public’s trust in their government – is irresponsible and counter to the concept of good governance in Volusia’s largest municipality. 

Asshole           City of Ormond Beach  

It appears the residents of Ormond Beach are now the first soldiers to be drafted in the coming War for Water this week when City Attorney Randy Hayes filed a lawsuit against developers of the tony Hunter’s Ridge subdivision and our neighbors to the north in Flagler County.

Why?

Well, to hear the City of Ormond Beach tell it, the current developer – U.S. Capital Alliance – is now in noncompliance of a 30-year-old agreement when they failed to deed some 300 acres of conservation lands to the city; and, in 2017, issued Flagler County a 60’ wide public road easement through the conservation area on a rutted dirt trail known as “40-Grade” and failed to adhere to a hydroperiod restoration plan as required by the original development order.

According to city officials, the real fear is that Flagler County will build a road connecting points north to the already congested State Road 40 – something of grave concern to existing residents with the specter of the 10,000 home Avalon Park looming on the horizon… 

Although the Ormond Beach side of Hunter’s Ridge is built out, the real teeth in the noncompliance ruling is that Ormond Beach will not provide utilities for new homes built on the Flagler County side of Hunter’s Ridge. 

According to a report in the Ormond Beach Observer by Jarleene Almenas and Sierra Williams:

“The city filed a complaint for declaratory and injunctive relief on Friday, Oct. 27, writing that the city “has suffered damages as a result of the developer’s non-compliance and continues to suffer damages as a result of the developer’s non-compliance.”

The developer and his attorney were unaware that a lawsuit had been filed until the Observer reached out for comment.

“I think it speaks to the fact that Ormond Beach has never been open to discussion on this matter,” said Jake Beren, chief operating officer of Hunters Ridge Acquisition and Development LLC. “There has always been accusations. There has never been a nuanced conversation.”

In my view, it is becoming clear that what is really driving the city’s belligerence is the gravest issue of our time – access to drinking water in this age of greed-fueled overdevelopment. 

According to the Observer, Jake Beren, chief operating officer of Hunters Ridge Acquisition and Development LLC, explained: 

“He believes the issue goes back to the city wanting to build wells on the conservation parcel, pointing to the fact that the $20 million project was included in the city’s recently approved Capital Improvement Plan, slated to be budgeted in the 2027-2028 fiscal year.

Flagler County attorney Sean Moylan told the Observer that Hayes’ claim in the Oct. 25 meeting that discussions of wells on Flagler County land were only “informal discussions” between staff was not true.

Ormond Beach staff requested and received a special use easement onto Flagler County lands to build wells from the Flagler County Commission in June of 2021, Moylan said, pending the city’s receipt of approval from the St. Johns River Water Management District and the Audubon Society.

“It was much more than just conversations,” he said. “And the irony, again, is that they wanted to use 40 Grade.”

Adding credence to the developer’s allegation is the City of Ormond Beach sat on its thumb for over thirty-years before blindsiding Hunter’s Ridge and Flagler County with a one-two combination of a noncompliance ruling and lawsuit seeking declaratory and injunctive relief.

So, why the urgency? 

According to the report, both the developer, and Flagler County, were under the impression the noncompliance ruling allowed them 60-days to find solutions – only to be served with a lawsuit – and learn from the City Attorney that the “60-day timeframe was removed “to accommodate corrective action that might require more time to complete.”

Something’s fishy…  

Look, I don’t have a grain of sympathy in this beat-up old heart for real estate developers – but, as an Ormond Beach taxpayer, I also don’t appreciate having some very expensive wool pulled over my eyes by antsy city officials who got caught with their pants down rubber stamping development without an adequate water supply. 

In my view, we’re seeing the disastrous result of what occurs when insatiable developers and the politicians they feed with campaign contributions – exceed what the environment can support and sustain over time. 

It appears Ormond Beach officials are finally coming to the realization why We, The Little People are rightly concerned about increased density, traffic congestion, and the environmental impacts of unchecked sprawl – those things we see with our own eyes – and why these concerns will have a drastic impact on next year’s elections.   

Angel               Friends of Volusia’s Dog-Friendly Beach

In an unusual departure from the “No Fun Zone” (a/k/a area beaches), this summer, the Volusia County Council voted 6-1 to approve an 18-month pilot to evaluate allowing dogs on the beach along a section between Milsap Road and Rockefeller Drive in Ormond Beach. 

The program officially began on Wednesday. 

This unique project represents the first time in some three-decades that We, The Little People were thrown a bone (pun intended…) by those we elect and appoint to represent our interests.

It hasn’t been an easy fight. 

When he took office in January, District 4 Councilman Troy Kent resurrected the idea of establishing limited dog friendly sections of the beach in each coastal community – a suggestion that brought out Volusia County’s Guardians of the Status Quo who raised a series of asinine hurdles, including not-so-veiled threats that allowing dogs on the beach in Ormond-by-the-Sea could violate terms of the county’s incidental take permit with the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, contraventions that could jeopardize our long tradition of beach driving…

Adding to the purely political barriers, senior staff members reported astronomically inflated expenses for allowing dogs to visit the beach under tight controls – including expanding the bureaucracy with a full-time animal control officer to patrol the .06-mile section of the shoreline – coupled with a vocal minority who claimed the measure signaled Armageddon for Volusia County beachgoers. 

In other words, the same “packs of vicious curs fouling the sand” scary stories that were used to quash the suggestion in 2014 and again in 2021.  To ensure the current initiative didn’t receive unanimous support, Councilman Don Dempsey (who seems to loathe everything east of the Palmetto Curtain) cast the lone “No” vote…   

Whatever.

Ultimately, a suitable section of the strand was identified in Ormond Beach.

Following the vote to approve the project in July, Councilman Kent said, “We are going to make history in Volusia County… I am absolutely blown away. This is my favorite type of partnership, which is a public/private partnership, where you, the public, have said you will help and assist to make this wildly successful.”

I wholeheartedly agree. 

Because positive change never comes easy in Volusia County…

Thanks to the efforts of Nannette McKeel Petrella and her group Daytona Dog Beach, Inc., the passionate residents who approached their elected officials and spoke in favor in the measure, and the incredible generosity of local philanthropists Nancy and Lowell Lohman – who pledged a $100,000 donation to help fund the pilot program – tomorrow morning, Volusia County officials and pet owners will gather for a ribbon cutting ceremony just north of the Milsap Road ramp in Ormond Beach, beginning at 9:00am.

Kudos to everyone who worked hard to see this dog-friendly beach pilot a reality! 

Angel               Historian Jordan Tyler Hobson 

We live in a place rich in history. 

Good and bad…  

Ours is a fascinating story of pioneer families who carved out a life amongst the coastal scrub – overcoming the privations, bugs, storms, heat, and adversities to create a mosaic of enduring communities here on Florida’s “Fun Coast.”

A place that continues to exorcise the demons of our notorious past – somewhere the Orlando Sentinel once described as a “…quagmire of violent crime and political corruption…”

Unfortunately, we also live in a time when many of our historic structures and old growth forests have fallen to a speculative developer’s notion of “progress” – or succumbed to the pernicious practice of “strategic neglect” – a malicious custom where local governments withhold preventative maintenance at certain publicly-owned facilities and allow them to rot in place until they reach such a deplorable state that demolition and expensive replacement becomes the only viable option.

But one local man is renewing interest in our area’s historic past. 

I had the opportunity to meet Jordan Hobson last year when I briefly came out of retirement to give him a tour of the Holly Hill Police Department – one of my favorite places in the world – located on the first floor of the beautiful coquina building that has been home to the community’s historic City Hall since its completion in 1942. 

As vice president of the Holly Hill Historic Preservation Society, Mr. Hobson has worked tirelessly with other area researchers – such as Don Williamson, a local treasure who possesses a trove of valuable knowledge about the early days of Volusia County – to document the history of the Halifax area one building, one home, and one majestic tree at a time. 

Several years ago, during a hike near Bulow Creek State Park, Mr. Hobson discovered one of Florida’s largest live oak trees still in existence.     

Most recently, Mr. Hobson published the fascinating book “Historic Homes of East Volusia,” documenting the architecture and historical significance of 95 area homes, along with stories of the interesting souls who inhabited them through the years. 

According to an excellent review by Charles Guarria writing in Hometown News Volusia, “Within its pages, you will read about George F. Johnson, a Volusia County resident who popularized the 40-hour work week. And Simon J. Peabody, the gentleman who donated land that cleared the way for the original Peabody Auditorium.

Another interesting story is that of Fred Merkle. He retired to Daytona Beach after a good major league baseball career. Mr. Merkle became infamous for a base running mistake that cost the 1908 New York Giants a pennant. The mistake is known as Merkle’s Boner, and the game he made the mistake in has been referred to as one of the most controversial in baseball history.”

A portion of book sales will be donated to the Holly Hill Historic Preservation Society. 

For more information, follow Mr. Hobson’s Facebook page Holly Hill FL/East Volusia History HQ or stop by the society at 1066 Ridgewood Avenue. 

Quote of the Week

“Volusia County has a robust public safety system serving its citizens every day, with trained professionals in law enforcement, fire, EMS, emergency management and many other disciplines working together to deal with the challenges posed by rapid growth,” Chitwood wrote. “However, the large ‘fuel farm’ project Belvedere Terminals is proposing in our community has created a new threat to the sense of safety of all who live, work, and do business in Ormond Beach and surrounding areas.”

–Volusia County Sheriff Michael Chitwood, voicing his opposition to the proposed 13-million-gallon fuel farm in an open letter to Belvedere Terminals, Monday, October 30, 2023

This week, I took an early drive to St. Augustine. 

It was one of those cool fall mornings in Florida when the temperature and dew point reach the same value and a blanket of fog forms limiting visibility to well less than a mile.

On Tuesday morning, the only thing missing was Sherlock Holmes, wreathed in the murky mist, trying to enter traffic from Love’s trust stop at Destination Daytona…  

As I drove north on US-1, I saw a series of large dump trucks emerge from the thick vapor hauling loads of fill dirt to change the topography on any one of a thousand active construction sites between Ormond Beach and Flagler County, belching think plumes of diesel smoke as they roared along through the misty morning. 

I thought about what that scene would look like as massive trains unload bulk fuel at the proposed Belvedere facility on Hull Road as a 24/7 convoy of tanker trucks resupply and enter traffic at the unsignalized intersection of US-1.

Yeah.  I know…   

In an interesting development on Wednesday, the City of Ormond Beach issued a cryptic release on social media:

“In response to the action taken by the County Council at their last meeting, City and County staff met today to analyze and explore cooperative solutions to the 874 Hull Road Property. Jointly, staffs are reviewing all legal options to permanently acquire the property, which could include eminent domain.”

Time will tell what that means… 

Regardless, it was refreshing to hear Sheriff Chitwood shoot straight and call the proposed Belvedere Terminal what it is – a public safety threat – one that will adversely affect the lives of thousands of Ormond Beach residents who will be forced to deal with the deleterious consequences of living in proximity to a potential disaster – worried taxpayers who are fighting valiantly for the safety of their children, property values, and quality of life…

Here’s hoping Belvedere officials will take heed of Sheriff Chitwood’s wise warning and work cooperatively with Volusia County officials to find a more appropriate location for their terminal.

And Another Thing!  

“After listening to dozens of citizens for and against the project, the Daytona Beach Planning Board on Thursday night unanimously recommended approval of developers’ revised plans for a 25-story condominium- hotel at A-1-A and Silver Beach Avenue.

“It has met the requirements, no matter how much opposed I am emotionally,” said Planning Board member Milverton Robinson. “I have no choice, but to say yes.”

The Silver Beach Hotel project’s fate now rests with the City Commission, which will conduct a first reading on Dec. 6. A second reading and public hearing, where the final decision is expected, is set for Dec. 20.”

–Business Editor Clayton Park, writing in The Daytona Beach News-Journal, “Planning Board OKs revised hotel plans,” Sunday, October 29, 2023

I don’t know about you, but I believe the time has come to disband the various governmental “planning boards,” “development review committees,” and the other political insulation klatches that help create the façade our elected officials have any control over land development and growth management. 

Because they don’t.

That’s what happens with politicians sell their political souls to well-heeled special interests with a profit motive…

We can also do away with these time-wasting “developer-initiated neighborhood meetings” – where frightened residents give powerful testimony about how (insert the next sprawling subdivision or sky-high condo-hotel project here) will adversely impact their property and the livability of their community – while the out-of-town developer du jour and their land use attorneys shoot the cuffs on their expensive suits, look at their Patek Philippe, and impatiently wait for the hayseeds to quiet, safe in the knowledge the fix is in.

They know approval is a foregone conclusion, and it is only a matter of time before rubes like the Daytona Beach Planning Board mewl, “We have no choice” and rubber stamp their project…    

Bullshit.

Florida generally, and Volusia County specifically, has become the exclusive playground for insatiable speculative land rapists – and their bought and paid for marionettes in Tallahassee have paved the way for them to pave over every square inch of greenspace – while our environment, natural resources, and quality of life are sacrificed on the altar of greed…

At a time when South Peninsula beachfront homeowners are working desperately to prevent their homes from crumbling into the sea – fighting a losing battle with incessant coastal erosion – as taxpayers take the hit for shoring up miles of shoreline while time and tide work to reclaim that which belongs to nature as insurance carriers flee the state – last week, a smarmy Miami developer won initial approval to build an ugly 25-story high-rise on a parcel just south of Silver Beach Avenue east of A-1-A. 

Madness.

According to the News-Journal report, “Beachside resident Paul Zimmerman is vice president of a beach driving citizens advocacy group called Sons of the Beach who has been vocal in his opposition to new high-rise projects east of A1A. “It was disappointing, but we don’t feel defeated,” he said of the Planning Board’s vote. “We’re going to continue to fight and hold fast to our position.”

Good luck, friends…

That’s all for me.  Have a great weekend at the 100^th Volusia County Fair & Youth Show, y’all!